This is a Sad Sight!

One would think that the longer a person lived, the more willing he would be to leave his present earthly abode. But this is not always the case. Sometimes, alas! we see very aged people clinging to this world even more tightly than the young. We see them close to the grave's mouth and yet loving the riches, the pleasures, the trifles of this world with all their affections! 

Oh, this is a sad sight! It is sad to see a poor dying creature entering upon a solemn eternity with a heart glued to the world which he is leaving, and full of its concerns! 

When this is the case with a Christian, God often in mercy sends us some affliction. He withers our gourds which have grown up around us, that He may lead us to seek a truer and a safer shelter. He sees that we are too fond of these clay cottages of ours; so, He makes the walls to crumble, that we may be content to leave them at His call. 

Look at your growing infirmities, dear reader as so many mercies. Let them serve to remind you that you will not be here always, and that this world "is not your rest, because it is polluted!" Let your growing infirmities make you long for that happier land, where there shall be no more old age; where sorrow and sighing shall be unknown; and where "the inhabitant shall never say, I am sick." Oh, it is well for us that all is not health, and strength, and sunshine here else we would be even fonder than we are, of our present earthly home. 

[Ashton Oxenden] 

Philippians 3:20-21 ... For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

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Why Does God Afflict Us?

 Dear Reader,

I have come into your sick room, as it were, and wish to tell you about a few things for your comfort and profit.

God has seen fit to stop you in the midst of your busy life, and to lay you aside for a while. It is not by chance that His afflicting hand has fallen upon you. It is not at random that He has chastened you. It may seem to be a mere accident that you are afflicted, and not another. But no; God has done it purposely!

Learn this then that your present sickness or affliction is from God. It is His doing. He it is who has brought this present chastisement upon you. Not even a sparrow falls to the ground without our heavenly Father's ordering, and He prizes His redeemed children more than many sparrows.

Sickness usually comes as a messenger of divine love, it is sent to be a blessing, and may be made, by God's grace, a very great blessing to the soul. God afflicts His children, because He desires to do them some great good.

The gardener cuts and prunes his tree, to make it grow better, and bear more precious fruit. In the same way, God often uses His sharp knife for some gracious purpose.

The wise and loving father thwarts his child, and sometimes scourges it, for its good. Just so, God uses His chastening rod for the very same reason.

The skillful physician prescribes nauseous medicines to restore his patient's health. In the same way, God makes us take His bitter medicines, though at the time they are very distasteful to us.

Why does God afflict us?

Because He loves us and wishes to make us holy as He is holy, and happy as He is happy. For, as it has been well said, "Fiery trials make golden Christians!"

God had one Son without sin, but He never had any son without sorrow.

God chastens purposely and lovingly. Affliction comes from Him; and He afflicts, not as a stern Judge, but as a Father and a Friend!

Before then you go a step further, ask God to convince you of this precious truth: "It is my Father who corrects me even He who loves me! I will receive this chastisement then from Him and remember that it is a loving hand that smites. I will kiss the very rod that scourges me. Father, not my will, but may Your will be done!"

A true Christian will receive affliction with submission. It is his Father's doing, and therefore he quietly submits. It comes from Him and must therefore be well. He feels that there is a needs-be for it. What a sweet pillow is this, on which to rest his weary head!

[Ashton Oxenden]

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Job 5:6 ... Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

Deuteronomy 8:5 ... Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.

Psalm 119:75 ...  I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

Revelation 3:19 ... As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Hebrews 12:6 ... For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Romans 8:28 ... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ❤

Submit Cheerfully

Stillness and silence befits us, when God lifts up His arm to afflict us.   It is of little use at such times to struggle against His almighty power to be restless and complaining when His heavy hand is laid upon us. Our wisdom is to bear the burden which oppresses us with patience, to submit cheerfully to the will of God, and to kiss the painful rod which scourges us.

We should remember that our Father does not afflict His children willingly, that is, for His own pleasure but for their profit. He loves them; and when He punishes them, it is for their discipline, and to make them what He would have them to be partakers of His holiness.

We should look at our afflictions in this light and not let a murmur escape our lips!  It is often our duty, in the hour of trial or of difficulty, to be still, to lie passive in God's hands, "to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord."

[Ashton Oxenden]

1 Samuel 3:18 ... And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.

Lamentations 3:26 ... It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

Psalm 46:10 ... Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.❤

Good Account or Wasted And Misspent

To use our time well and wisely, is a matter of the greatest importance for oh, how quickly is it passing away! We should seize our opportunities while they exist, and 'gather up the fragments which remain, that nothing be lost.'

The value of time, its exceeding preciousness is beyond measure. Our days and hours hasten by, never to return. They are like water, which, when once spilt, cannot be gathered up again. They are like the rays of the sun, which at the moment may warm and invigorate us, but cannot be laid up for future use. Our lives are very short at best and on the manner in which they are spent, will depend our condition forever.

Who can say how important is every moment which is given to us? It may be turned to good account or it may be wasted, or misspent. No wonder then that we are charged, 'Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise' like travelers on a dangerous road, looking around them on every side, and prepared for any difficulty which may suddenly arise. We should live cautiously and carefully, 'making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.'

What shall we say of those who let days, and months, and years pass without thinking of anything beyond their own ease and enjoyment? Time is to them as a tale that is told, which is soon forgotten. It is like a vapor, which rises before them but is speedily swept away, and is gone forever. One day is like another, all equally unprofitable all gone to waste nothing done for God or for eternity, a number of precious opportunities, but not one of them improved! We have, many of us, done but little in the way of 'redeeming the time.' We have allowed it to pass by unimproved.

Bear in mind then that we all have our opportunities, opportunities of doing good, opportunities of benefitting our fellow-creatures, opportunities of doing some work for God and for every one of these opportunities, we must give an account.

Again, our time is very, very short and all depends upon the right employment of it. Remember that our time is becoming shorter every day!

[Ashton Oxenden]

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Ephesians 5:15-16 ... See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Psalm 90:12 ... So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Romans 13:11 ... And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.❤

Humble Christians

A humble Christian will feel that he owes everything to God's grace and love. No one can be said to be really humble, unless he is fully persuaded that he has no merit whatever of his own. When anyone feels himself to be vile and sinful, and is convinced that he deserves nothing but eternal damnation then how wonderful and glorious does the love of God appear in providing salvation for him!

Now, can you feel this? Can you say, "Thank God for having taught me this. I see it clearly. I am nothing and infinite mercy alone can save me from the Hell I so truly deserve!"

I am certain of this; that it is only the humble who can feel the value of a Savior, and who will cordially and thankfully accept His offers of mercy. One of the first things therefore that the gospel of Christ does for us is to humble us; to show us what we are and what we deserve; to strip us of all our false coverings; and to place Christ before us as the only refuge for penitent sinners!

Well indeed it is, if your heart has been thus humbled so that you feel inclined to lie low at the feet of Jesus, and to cling to His precious cross alone for safety.

I need not ask whether Christ is dear to you. He must be for now that you are enabled to lay hold of Him by faith, you would not for the whole world exchange your treasure! You may be poor but you can hardly call it poverty if you possess Christ. You may have trials and sorrows but how light is every one of them, now that you can feel you have a dear Friend by your side, who can turn all your sorrows into joys!

[Ashton Oxenden]

1 Corinthians 15:10 ... But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Ephesians 3:8 ... Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

James 4:10 ... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.❤

Mark Him Down As A Proud Man

One way in which a really humble Christian shows himself, is by having a high opinion of others.  Whenever you see a person who appears to take every opportunity of putting down others, mark him down as a proud man and be sure that he does it in order to exalt himself!

On the other hand, whenever you see any one anxious to hide his brother's failings, unwilling to expose his little defects, you will generally find that he is a humble man, and one who deeply feels the many faults of his own character.

[Ashton Oxenden]

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Philippians 2:3 ... Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.


Romans 12:10 ... Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;


Galatians 5:13 ... For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.❤

Receiving Daily

We are apt to think that all we need is to look to Christ as our Sin-bearer; and that, having once gone to Him in faith, and obtained forgiveness, the work is done. But the believer now needs the same Savior who pardoned him to be ever with him, to help him on his way, and to keep his soul alive. He must ever run his Christian race, 'looking unto Jesus.' He must 'come out of the wilderness, leaning on his Beloved.' In himself, the believer is powerless. Christ is both the Life and Strength of the renewed soul.

The believer needs daily strength. He cannot fight by his own power. He cannot even walk alone. If he hopes to resist temptation, and to lead a holy life of service to his heavenly Master if he wants boldly to come out from the world, and to stand forth as a decided follower of Christ he must look to Jesus for daily grace to strengthen him.

It is living upon Christ, which alone can make us growing, thriving, vigorous Christians!

To be ever looking to Christ for grace, to be constantly stretching out the hand and heart to Christ for help, to be daily feeding upon Him this is the secret of all our spiritual life, and of all our spiritual well-being.

Never suppose that you can become strong enough to do without Christ. Never imagine that you can reach such a point, that you are anything more than a poor, helpless being. As you humbled yourself beneath His cross at the first so continue to feel your place to be in the dust before Him, your righteousness to be as filthy rags, your strength as utter weakness!

Go to Him in your emptiness, and receive daily out of His fullness!

[Ashton Oxenden]

Colossians 2:6 ... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

Proverbs 16:20 ... As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

Matthew 6:11 ... Give us this day our daily bread.❤